Tissues at the ready folks as the 2017 John Lewis Christmas advert is finally here.

The long-awaited ad which has come to signal the start of the festive season for the nation doesn’t disappoint with its heart-tugging tale of a little boy and his unlikely friendship with a seven foot monster called Moz.

The two-minute epic - which dropped just before 8am on Friday 10 November - centres on seven-year-old Joe who is kept awake by a snoring Moz who kips under his bed.

The story tells how Joe suffers a series of fitful, sleepless nights until one evening, Moz makes a funny farting sound.

Collapsing into a fit of giggles at the distinctive noise, Joe finally looks under the bed and finds the endearing, long haired creature with big bug eyes and bulbous nose staring back at him.

The pair quickly become close pals but Moz stays hidden in Joe’s bedroom where they burn the midnight oil having fun larking around on piggyback or playing Scalextric and Battle Ships.

(Image: PA)

But the late nights begin to take their toll on the schoolboy who can’t stay awake during the day.

He falls asleep leaning on a goalpost on the football pitch and lets in a goal to his dad’s dismay, slumps on the kitchen table while writing a letter to Santa and has 40 winks in the barber’s chair.

ke any good mate, Moz realises his friend needs his own space and its time for him to go - and there won’t be a dry-eye in the house when the devoted gentle giant and his little pal part company.

But before he goes, Moz leaves Joe a thoughtful Christmas gift under the tree - a badly wrapped night light shaped like a globe.

As the tear-jerker draws to a close, Joe flicks a switch on the globe and hears his friend’s familiar snoring. Smiling, he realises he can bring his imaginary buddy back whenever he thinks of him.

The tender soundtrack on the heartwarming ad is also destined to be a hit as chart-topping band Elbow rework the Beatles classic Golden Slumbers for the £7 million Moz the Monster campaign.

(Image: PA)

Directed by award winning Frenchman Michel Gondry, the ad was filmed in West London and took 11 months from storyboard to screen.

Mr Gondry said: “When I told my ex-girlfriend I was doing the next John Lewis Christmas film she said ‘You have big shoes to fill, this John Lewis commercial must make people cry, don’t forget.’ Last week I showed it to her and she cried. Phew.”

Cute identical twins, named only as seven-year-olds Ethan and Tobias share the role of Joe while woolly Sesame Street style monster Moz has two actors sealed into a hairy outfit to create his size, instead of using a CGI version.

And Moz-mania is set to sweep the nation as kids go mad for spin-off merchandise from £20 cuddly toys, £15 globe night lights, £14 Moz slippers and a story book for £8.99.

Read More

A John Lewis spokesperson said: “There is a great deal of expectation every year but we just try to create an ad that has a human truth at the end of it.

“Everyone has upped their game and it’s exciting to see what they are doing.”

The ad will make its TV debut at 9.30pm tonight during the Gogglebox break on Channel 4 and on Sky channels, with 90, 60 and 20-second versions also played across commercial networks.

Moz has already taken over the John Lewis signs at five stores in London, Liverpool, Reading, Cardiff and Cambridge where his eyes appear in the store’s name.

And fans will be able to create a Moz-face on Facebook as well as take monster selfies in ten selected stores.

Craig Inglis, John Lewis customer director, said: “This year’s Christmas campaign brings to life the power of children’s imaginations and the joy of great friendships. Moz and Joe’s story is magical and heartwarming and I’m sure it will be loved by all of our customers, young and old.”